What is the Antikythera Mechanism?
So you know that not only spacecraft catch my technical attention, here is a video that explains just how amazing it was that this clever clockwork device was created in Greece in the second century BC. The Antikythera Mechanism was recovered from an ancient shipwreck, in terribly corroded condition, but has been explored, examined and explained using modern forensic technology to cut through the accumulated layers of corrosion.
It appears the Greeks were good at assimilating technical astronomical knowledge and constructing complex machines quite far back in time. This device could predict the position of the Sun, Moon and planets and such phenomenon as eclipses years into the future.
In the above video, the author illustrates how it worked by actually building a working, modern replica and explaining each component’s purpose and what it did. This is hardcore mechanical engineering. In a beautifully executed project, the author explains an ancient machine, a mechanical computer, really, built about 200 BC and recovered from a Greek shipwreck. His method of teaching what this relic is and what it was for was to build a working full-scale model. It helps that he is an expert machinist and knows quite a bit about clockwork. His skills are fun to watch.
Here are a few images of what it actually looked like when raised from the shipwreck (bottom image is a replica).
